Ideals
by StyxBlade
Summary: A withdrawn, introverted, unsure human-turned-Eevee. A bitter, lying, overshadowed Pikachu. A weary, traumatized, haunted Riolu. A lost, purposeless, inquisitive Charmeleon. Fate has strange ways of uniting these unlikely heroes into a team that must conquer the challenge that lies in the shadows. More than just that; the challenge that lies their own shadows. Rated T for safety.


**Spark**

-**Welcome to my first story, Stormbreakers: Ideals. I'm planning on it being the first of many stories in a series. This is NOT a cloned PMD story. However, all of the PMD games [Blue/Red, Time/Darkness/Sky, Adventure Squad, GtI] occurred. The one key element is THERE ARE NO SUCH THINGS AS MYSTERY DUNGEONS IN THE GAME TERMS. Mystery Dungeons are areas that are infested with feral wild Pokémon. Please note all guilds and paradises are in existence. Some names are subject to change, however.**

**All the original regions are kept, but nearly all areas have different names. You are not likely to recognize them.**

**With that note, let the story begin.  
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The sound of a girl's sigh filled the yellow-walled room as she organized her items in her backpack. Pokémon posters were plastered everywhere, two of them present on the snow white door. The girl shuffled her bare feet against the fuzzy purple floor, staring at the Pokémon posters with a feeling of longing in her mind. She'd much rather play her Pokémon White Version than do prepare for school the next day. A scowl made itself apparent on her face. It was a Monday, and she detested Mondays with every fiber of her being. Tuesdays were _so_ much better.

The girl finished the organization of her school supplies and thundered down the stairs, eager to play her 3DS...or her computer...heck, any video game would do. She just wanted to game. The girl was right about to slip into her computer seat when she heard a voice.

"Did you finish your homework?" her mom asked from inside the kitchen, cooking a pot of steaming noodles. The girl smelled the scent of tomatoes and felt herself salivate. _Spaghetti! Sweet biscuits,_ she thought.

"Yeah," the dark-haired brunette responded, eyes locked on the loading blue computer screen. Two pictures assembled themselves in squares before her, and she clicked on the lower option. A new image appeared, only this time taking up the entire background. Small options formed all over the screen.

"That's good, because now it's time for you set the table." The female internally groaned. _Really? Right after my homework's done and I load the computer up? Why's the whole universe against me? Ugh. _All her complaining thoughts dissipated when the spaghetti's delicious smell once again hit her nose. _Spaghetti. Must have spaghetti. Must have spaghettiiiiii..._ she thought, hearing a growl from her stomach.

"Okay," she replied, doing her best to not drool. Her mother pointed her to the table and she got started. Her sister, Claire, joined her after a little bit and the duo finished the job in no time flat.

Soon, all four family members were sitting at the table, eating spaghetti - or noodles, in Claire's case.

The eleven year old was the first one done (it was her favorite food, after all) and looked at her mother with pleading blue eyes, begging for more of the marvelous dish.

She gave the expected and typical answer: "It'll swell up in your stomach. You should wait a half hour or so before you eat anymore." She gave a nod to indicate she heard and took her plate to the sink along with her utensils and glass. The girl snuck off back into the computer room and played Age of Empires 2.

After she noticed it was eight thirty, she headed upstairs to change into her pajamas; her parents had always insisted she should go to bed early because of her tendency to get up at the crack of dawn. Sliding on a navy t-shirt and a pair of purple pajama pants, she walked into the bathroom to brush her teeth. On the way back to her room, the girl swiped her sister's beloved red pillow, grinning in anticipation. She knew better than anyone that Claire hated people stealing her pillow or stuffed animals, and she couldn't wait to see the look on her face. She flung herself into her bed and held the pillow tight, hiding it from view. Oh yes, her sister would definitely be mad. And she would laugh and laugh and laugh.

The eleven year old was broken out of her thoughts when a strange glow started emitting from her dreamcatcher. She looked up to see the dreamcatcher now pixel black. The feathers were drooping, almost as if they were dying. She grabbed the blanket and tried to hide underneath, frightened. Out of nowhere, a stinging sensation in her left arm made itself apparent and she yelped, clutching the apparently injured limb. The girl jerked her head towards the source of the pain and was met with a peculiar sight; her arm was glowing, like the dream catcher, but it was glowing green-blue and red. Even her nails had changed, now lit by a faint violet.

"Who's there?" she whispered, unaware of how much she sounded like a horror movie victim.

Hollow silence answered her. It occurred to her that her family should've heard her shriek. Why hadn't they arrived? She peeked out from under the covers, releasing the pillow, only to find that she couldn't. She was in an empty black void, for lack of better term, with one glowing arm.

A malicious-sounding chuckle filled her ears, followed by a sound that resembled the noise created from a meteor crashing. She looked around, a wild light in her eyes, but nothing could be seen.

_"Welcome, girl," _a deep, intimidating male voice said. The human still saw nothing, and it confused her. Was she dreaming?

"_You are not dreaming, child. This is really and truly occurring. Do not pass it off as a fragment of your imagination._" Finally, she managed to see something; a glowing cyan eye. In the back of her mind, she recalled the legendary Pitch-Black Pokémon Darkrai, whom was a master of darkness and had a single blue eye. All her thoughts were ignored, however, as she was occupied with watching her left arm's glow dim. From the faded sparkles that bounced away from her arm an alien-like creature materialized, its amethyst eyes staring down at her with no visible emotion.

"Deoxys…" she whispered under her breath, recognizing the Pokémon. "Why...why are you here?" Deoxys did not respond; it gestured to the cyan eye, which was now with a crimson scarf of sorts and flowing white hair. It seemed she was in the presence of Darkrai after all.

"_Simple, child. For you,_" Darkrai stated. He gazed at her, his eye as emotionless as Deoxys' had been at first.

"_You are going to help us, you see,_" Deoxys explained, her voice softer and more soothing than Darkrai's had been. A flicker of sympathy flashed in her eyes for a brief second. "_Our world is corrupt, and it needs fixing. We need you so we can fix it. We chose you so you can be a hero for us._" Her eyes widened; she had not expected that. But something seemed off to her.

"Why would you need my help? I'm just a girl, and you two are legendaries. Very powerful legendaries. I don't see what I can do to help," the female said. She could've swore Darkrai's eyes had darkened for a moment, and that Deoxys had sighed in frustration, but there was no evidence a second later.

"_We are legendaries, yes, but we can't enter our world without trouble. As the ruling immortals, so to speak, we have to have someone who's a mortal, like you. And as for the human part? Don't worry. The two of us have ways to solve that,_" Deoxys said. If she had had a visible mouth, she probably would've smiled reassuringly. The girl nodded, quick to accept the existence of the legendaries and Deoxys' reasoning. She wanted to believe they were real. But she supposed she was dreaming. Therefore, any action she performed would not have repercussions in the real world. How wrong she was.

"Let's go then!" she said, sounding somewhat excited. Deoxys lifted her arms and they emitted a brilliant purple glow before a rift appeared before said DNA Pokémon. As soon as it had fully formed, she bolted into the portal.

"_NO!_" Darkrai yelled. "_STOP!_" It was too late for the eleven year old to slow down as she was sucked into the warp and disappeared right before the eyes of the legendaries.

"_Arceus-forsaken brat…_" Darkrai hissed, floating around seething with rage. He began to string out a multitude of words that are not appropriate for children.

"_This is bad. This is really bad,_" Deoxys muttered, wincing. "_Dialga might attack her while she's in the Passage of Time, and then our chance is blown. If we go after her, then Dialga will realize we're trying to change history… We just have to pray that she makes it safely._" Deoxys let out a sigh.

"_Why can't things ever be simple_?"

A lone yellow mouse walked the road, doing his best to ignore the stares of the villagers around him. His red cheeks almost flared with electricity when he thought of the look that would almost surely paint their faces; one of awe and shock. He was the green-eyed Pikachu, the one everyone had seen the fearsome dual-thunder power he possessed. The Pikachu was tired of the looks. Everyone was just on him for now, and then they'd move on to someone bigger and faster and smarter and just _better_. He hated watching their opinions change.

He wanted to howl at them, to glare with his haunted emerald eyes. Instead, he kept his head down and his mouth shut. Truth deterred him. Lies saved him.

It took him a minute to realize a small Pichu was watching him with curious amber eyes, tracking his every move. "Go on with your family, little one. You belong with them, not with some stranger like me," the Pikachu whispered to the Pichu, a smooth, un-growling voice speaking from his throat. The tiny mouse looked at him with a strange expression, one he did not recognize.

"Meema always told me that everyone need friends," the Pichu responded, finding her courage. He drew back in surprise, not expecting that response. The mouse plucked a white poppy from next to her, and offered it to the Pikachu. "You need a friend too, not everyone's stares," she said.

He felt his heart warm in a way he hadn't felt in a long time; it had been two years since he had ever felt any source of true happiness outside of battle. He smiled a real, genuine smile and accepted the gift. "Thank you," he murmured to the tiny girl before him. "Tell me, where is your meema? I'd like to meet her, perhaps."

The Pichu's earnest smile never faded. "She's very high in the sky right now. Above the clouds. Father says she's with Arceus," she told him. He managed to keep the look of shock off his face, but such a thing horrified the Pikachu. _The poor girl,_ he thought. _She doesn't deserve to her mother die while she is so young and innocent. _The Pikachu was about to speak before he heard an unpleasant voice.

"Acacia! What are you doing?! Get away from that outsider scum!" a growling male voice snarled. The Pikachu turned to see a green Pokémon with a red and blue rose for hands - a Roselia. He already knew he didn't like the Thorn Pokémon screeching at the Pichu.

"Don't you know who that is, Eniward?! That's the dual-thunder Pikachu!" another villager screamed at the Roselia (apparently the said Eniward). Despite this, Eniward kept his aggressive stance.

"I don't care if he's the poorest boy in town or the Champion of Unova! He will get away from my daughter!" Eniward yelled.

"That is Father. Father scares me sometimes. He says mean things a lot," the Pichu, apparently Acacia, told him. Her ears drooped somewhat and her brown eyes became downcast. The Pikachu's eyes narrowed. How _dare_ any Pokémon scream like that at their daughter, especially one who was almost a kit?! He positioned himself in front of Acacia, meeting Eniward's eyes with an undaunted look that did not often fill his eyes.

"She doesn't have to do a word you say," he half-growled at the Roselia. Eniward looked startled and even scared at being challenged by this creature, but resumed a fierce position.

"I am her father! She must do as I say!" he snapped.

"You're not fit to be a father in your state," the Pikachu replied, keeping his cool tone. He could see many flaws in the Roselia's fighting position; it was obvious to the Mouse Pokémon who would win in a fight.

Evidently, Eniward did not see the same things as he did, for he snarled again and fired a barrage of glowing leaves at the Pikachu. _Magical Leaf. At least it can't hit Acacia…_ He launched himself high into the air, the leaves following him up. Two swirling blizzard formed over his paws, and the Pokémon froze the entire volley with a series of rapid-fire punches. He dove down, his paws still shrouded in ice, and slammed his fists into the Roselia's head. The Thorn Pokémon let out a cry and tried to sling a weak poisoned rose at his tummy, achieving only light contact. The Pikachu kicked him in the stomach and Eniward went down like a sack of potatoes.

"And stay down," he spat. The mouse felt a sting sensation on his own stomach, and looked down to find a purple swelling. _He poisoned me!_ the Pikachu realized. He resisted the urge to growl as he dug through his bag of supplies to find an antidote to the poison. Suddenly, he felt something tap his foot, and he saw Acacia, holding a pecha berry. _Score!_

"Thank you...Acacia, was it?" the Pikachu asked, taking the pecha berry and eating it. Almost instantly, the swelling stopped stinging quite as much. She nodded, though he could see a spark of fear in her eyes. In the corner of his now somewhat blurry vision, he could see the town staring.

"Don't worry," he said, "I won't hurt you."

"Will Father be okay?" Acacia asked, timid. She glanced at the downed Roselia.

"He'll be fine. I didn't give him any major injuries. All he needs is an ice-yellow puff and some rest," the Pikachu replied. Acacia looked confused at words 'ice-yellow puff'.

"Ice-yellow puff?" she echoed.

"It's a mixture between aspear, sitrus, and leppa berries. Do you know what those are?" A shake of her head answered his question. Cursing under his breath, he took an ice-yellow puff out of his bag and handed it to Acacia. "Here. When he wakes up, give this to him. I'll stay with you 'till he's healed," he said. Acacia shook her head again.

"I don't like Father. He's mean. He used to be nice. I think he'll hurt me again," Acacia said. The Pikachu furrowed his brow. Granted, he could keep her safe for a little while but after a bit he would need to leave and Acacia would start getting beat again. Then, an alternative solution popped into his mind, but he tried to dissuade the idea. _That's insane, _he thought. _No way in Thundurus' storms would that work._

"Mister?" The Pichu's frightened voice jerked him back to reality. He looked at the child, and realized he didn't have the heart to just leave her there. She wasn't going to be happy like this. He wanted to help. He _needed_ to help. Now.

"Hey," he said, keeping his voice soft. "Do you want to come with me?"

Acacia's eyes widened. "Y-you'd let me? But what about Father?"

The Pikachu let out a weary sigh. "Yes, I would. As for your...father...he won't mind, I assure you. He might even be happy," he said.

Acacia gave a jump of joy with a gleeful giggle. The Pikachu smiled, a rare look of tenderness present on his face. He took the ice-yellow puff back from the happy Mouse Pokémon and placed it next to the Roselia.

"You're lucky she's here," he murmured, his tone now low and cold. "Otherwise, the odds would be very much against you."

-

_Punch, punch, kick, spin, kick, punch, kick._

The Riolu's powerful limbs pummeled the sandbag, his body not even slowing for a second. The final kick to the midsection sent the bag across the room, the hit strong enough to resist gravity.

He stood there, taking periodic breaths to calm himself down. _Through the nose, out the mouth, _he told himself, focusing his thoughts.

"Excellent work, Roy! You should work at the dojo," said an Exploud standing near him. The Riolu, knowing Roy wasn't his name but a fake identity, just nodded. Yes, he was speaking to the master of the dojo, but he said little nonetheless. If he considered someone powerful, then he would treat them with utmost respect. None of the dojos he has visited were up to his standards.

"You ought to show some moves off!" another Pokémon hooted. He heard murmurs of agreement. The Riolu resisted the urge to growl, only shaking his head and walking out. This place wouldn't have offered the strength he was searching for, and all the Pokémon wanted was to see someone like him walk in so they could stare at him. The Riolu didn't really know the reasoning, and he didn't care. He wanted out.

"Hey~" he heard. He swore and turned around. Someone talking like that could mean but one thing.

It was a Glameow, her gray fur dainty and well-groomed. She had a white muzzle and paws and a pair of pale blue eyes that sparkled in a way that made the Riolu nervous. To him, she looked like she'd never seen a battle before.

"So, cutiepie-" she didn't get to finish.

"I know what you want, and no," he said, stopping himself from growling.

He felt her tail touch his back. "Nonsense. No one says no to me," she whispered in his ear.

"No means no. Now get away," he said, his voice in a ordering tone.

"I guess I have to convince you~" she began to try to lick his ear, but he slung a punch into her exposed underbelly, knocking her over. The Emanation Pokémon kicked her for good measure, hearing a series of faint meows.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll stay away from me next time. Or else," he growled. He walked off, his dark black and blue pelt meshing into the dimming light. His eyes were in stark contrast to the rest of his body, being a pair of gleaming ruby red. He sighed; why were Pokémon nowadays like that Glameow or the Exploud, always looking for an opportunity to exploit and use? He shook it off, for in all honesty, he did not care what others tried to do. He could defeat any of the locals in under a minute. He growled, deciding to focus on the growing issue of his hunger.

He trotted through as the town chattered, the talking a numb buzz in his ears. The Riolu spotted a _Heatmor's Roast_ and headed over, his stomach screaming for meat. Despite most preferring the more international _EatHouse_, he had never had a preference for the more inhabited areas. He walked over to the outdoor stand, noticing the Heatmor running the stand was distracted.

The Riolu leaned in and tapped his claws against the red counter, startling the Heatmor.

"Ah! Sorry I didn't see you there. Welcome to Heatmor's Roast! What would you like to eat?" he asked. The Riolu shrugged.

"Surprise me. I'll pay full price," he grunted. The Heatmor's eyes widened, but he managed to return to normal and nod, heading off to bring a piece of meat to the Riolu.

A few minutes later, the Heatmor returned with a rib. The Riolu paid the cash and headed off to the tables, ripping off a great chunk of pork. He was halfway through the tasty meat when he heard the chair across from him pull out. He glanced up to see an orange lizard sitting across from him, the Pokémon adoring a pair of dark shades and a golden star tattoo on its left shoulder.

"What do you want?" he growled, realizing the Charmander was a female. _Two in the span of five minutes? Come on!_

The Charmander gave a laugh, surprising him. Why was she laughing?

"You're wondering, eh? Then again, the Laws are confusing things…" she said, smiling a mysterious smirk at him.

"Look, I have no idea what you're talking about," he growled, "so if you'll kindly _leave_ and let us both live our lives…" He hoped the strange Lizard Pokémon would take his rather unsubtle hint, but no dice; she didn't even make a motion to leave.

"Blunt as ever, son of the Guardians. Tell me, do you perhaps recall a prior experience on an exploration team?" the Charmander asked. The Riolu stiffened when she called him 'son of the Guardians', and glared.

"How do you know that?" he hissed, his voice low and deadly. The Charmander gave a wave of her paw.

"It is of no concern," she said, "and do you? Or am I merely mistaken?"

"No. Never on one," he growled. "And tell me now. Only three people still alive know that." The Charmander laughed again, causing the Riolu to get even more irked than he already was.

"No? A shame. Perish the thought, then, of you having knowledge of the east?" she asked, dodging the question.

Too curious, he asked, "What do you mean, lizard?" Realizing his mistake, he cursed in his mind.

"A great and powerful beast lies where the sun rises. A mighty beast of many styles and master of nature. Fear his upcoming apprentices. Perhaps they are too much for you to handle…" the Charmander said, trailing off.

"Of course they're not!" the Riolu snapped in response. He shot a harsh ruby glare across the table. "I can beat any opponent! Give me their names and tell me where they are, and I WILL defeat them!"

The Charmander laughed once more. "Settle down, Guardian-child. They are partners, and if you truly wish to defeat them, you will need a partner. Mind you, I'm not of such a purpose. You must seek a like-minded Pokémon. One roams the mountains nearby. He is known as Zero. Ally yourself with him first. Then, you may head to the forest of beginning," she said, keeping a level gaze with her shaded eyes. It took the Riolu a minute to realize her eyes were hidden behind the shades.

"Fine. But you must give me my destination, or I will do nothing you ask," the Riolu said. The Lizard Pokémon nodded, as if she expected his answer.

"Head to the Bluff of Raikou. Your foe lies there. Join forces with him, then go to Yggdrasil Forest." She looked at him. "I lie not. Follow your path, Guardian-child. The truth will shine clear to you then." The Charmander smiled once more, though it seemed more sad and more...anxious?... then her previous ones.  
>"I bid farewell to you. Good- good luck," she murmured, stuttering on good. She walked away into the setting sun, and the Riolu watched her leave, baffled by her appearance and even more so by her disappearance.<p>

-

A red bipedal lizard walked the mountain cliffs, his body relaxing in its natural habitat. The pearl white claws on his feet grasped the ground he trotted upon, able to sink in at a moment's notice. His crimson scales shone under the dying sun, an almost fire colored look to them. The Charmeleon's red tailflame had just a tinge of blue glowing within, his hidden spirit glowing in the fire.

He sighed, rather content. He had gone searching months back. He didn't know what he was seeking, just that he had to find it. Perhaps it was boredom of being beyond the power level of everyone around him. As a Charmander, he had been the head of the strongest home team and strong in his own right. Now, having become a Charmeleon, every fight barring one had been child's play. Only the best battler of his home and a mon far more experienced than himself; Sir Aguni Washington the Fire Warrior. The Mega Fire Pig Pokémon was the lone individual who could strike fear and awe into the Charmeleon, and he knew he'd never catch up to Sir Aguni's level sitting around fighting the same Pokémon and winning over and over.

So, he had set off on a journey. A journey to find strong opponents and defeat them. The Charmeleon wasn't sure when he'd stop traveling, or when he'd stop fighting, or when he'd stop searching. He supposed he'd do it until he died. He was dedicated to his art, and he couldn't imagine a life without it. He would unlock the secrets, and wield them, and become the best. And he'd go beyond.

The Charmeleon's dark forest green eyes looked out over the mountains, a faint smile dancing on his lips. He could think of it now. Sir Aguni, lined up opposing him on the battlefield. His old team would be watching, as would his father and his other friends. He'd be a Charizard, a monstrous nine-foot white-flamed Charizard, with his Charizardite X strapped on his neck. He'd let out on a terrifying roar that'd shake the ground, and he'd see the split-second glimpse of fear in his Emboar opponent's face, but the fearless warrior would recover. Sir Aguni would roar in response, a panic-inducing sound in itself, but it wouldn't come close to the terror that the Charmeleon would induce.

They'd fling themselves at each other after the referee called for them to begin, but he'd be faster thanks to his gargantuan wings. He would strike Sir Aguni across the face, and he'd go down, unable to stand against his enemy's sharpened claws. He'd bellow, and the Charizardite X would glow, turning him into a nightmare beast of a Mega Charizard X. He would roar once again, the earth now shattering as it he had used Earthquake. Sir Aguni would stumble, barely able to stay on his feet. The Charmeleon - now a Mega Charizard X - would fire a single star-shaped Dragon Pulse, the dragon fire bursting into Sir Aguni and knocking the Emboar out cold. He'd be declared the winner, having his black paw risen high into the air and being told he could take on the entire Kanto Champion team and defeat them with ease.

The Charmeleon sighed again, enraptured by his daydream. He would be _the _most powerful Pokémon to ever walk the planet.

He was snapped out of his fantasy when he heard a shriek pierce the air. His head spun in a perfect 90 degree angle to the left, and with his sharp Charmeleon vision, he managed to catch sight of a tiny orange blur on the ground nearby him, running away from a much larger green figure. It looked a bit like a Flygon to the Charmeleon. To him, it seemed as if the Flygon was attacking for some reason.

"HELP!" the orange blur screamed again. It took a moment for the Charmeleon to realize this voice seemed familiar - no, it was the voice of his little brother-like Chimchar friend who _wouldn't be able to defend himself!_

The Charmeleon gave a grunt and leaped onto a nearby mountain ledge, ready to hit the Flygon from afar. Indigo flames burned in his jaw and he spat a scorching beam of dragon fire into the Flygon's back, nailing a perfect blow. The Mystic Pokémon screamed in agony, caught off-guard by the sudden blow. He whipped around, prepared to blast the runt that had cheap-shoted him in the back, only to find the sun eclipsed by a bipedal draconic-shape and a burning flame. The Charmeleon gave a warcry as his claw was covered in crimson, green, and indigo dragon flames and he dove down, slashing the Flygon's flank and landing on the ground, kneeling. He could hear the Flygon behind him stumble and struggle to keep himself above the dirt, trying in vain to recover.

"For...for...for the Lord of Shadows!..." the Flygon cried out, raising his wings in one final feeble attempt to blow the Charmeleon down. The Charmeleon stood and glared at the desperate dragonkin before him, his green gaze stopping the Flygon cold. He raised one claw into the air, and a fuchsia glow shimmered around his lifted paw of choice. The earth trembled ever so slightly as rocks lifted high in air, surrounding the Flygon. They crashed and pummeled the ground / dragon type into the earth, wiping him out cold. The Charmeleon watched the Flygon to make sure he wouldn't stand and as he did a strange thought crossed his mind. _"The Flygon...he said 'For the Lord of Shadows'. Who is that? Certainly not Darkrai - his power range is darkness, not necessarily shadow energy. Not Giratina, either, because that's not his title. He's always called the Angel of Death or the Deathbringer. Odd… unless it's some demigod I haven't heard of in legends or even just an ordinary Pokémon like me,"_ he thought, musing on about the Flygon's unusual battlecry. Pushing the thought out of his mind, he turned to the Chimchar.

"Hey, Flare," he said, grinning at the Chimchar. The amber-eyed monkey gawked in response.

"I thought you'd be way farther out…" Flare murmured, trailing off. He stared at the Charmeleon. "So what are you doing here?"

The Charmeleon chuckled, but his good mood dissipated and he stared at Flare intently. "I could ask the same of you. I know that your brother and the others would not let you out here in the mountains, this far from home."

The Chimchar scratched the back of his neck, a nervous smile on his face. "I… I didn't wanna stay. You're like a brother to me too, and I- I look up to you. I can't just let my hero disappear from my life like that, y'know?" Flare said, seeming hopeful that the Charmeleon would understand. It shone in his amber eyes.

The Charmeleon sighed, but he smiled. In all honesty, he was startled from the level of depth of what he had heard from the monkey's mouth; he was young and inexperienced, after all. He could send Flare back...but if he did, the Chimchar would struggle to make it to home alone. And he didn't want to face his former teammates until he could best Sir Aguni. So...that left one option.

No matter. Flare could use the experience.

"Then let's go, buddy," he said, flashing his toothy lopsided grin. "Where to?"

The Charmeleon watched the realization sink into the Chimchar, and then the joy that expressed itself on his face. He wasn't sure if he should have been amused or happy or both.

"YES! Yes, yes, yes!" Flare cried, hugging the Charmeleon tight. While startled, the Charmeleon managed to smile. This would help his journey, he knew. A partner. A partner who might as well have been his brother. They were going to go places.


End file.
